Crime & Safety

CRIME LOG (SPECIAL REPORT): Rise in Home Burglaries Spur Increased Patrols

Baltimore County police investigating possible connection between solicitors and daytime burglaries in Lutherville-Timonium and Cockeysville.

An increase in residential burglaries throughout the Lutherville-Timonium and Cockeysville areas has led the to increase patrols—including those by commanding officers.

Although armed robberies have decreased recently, police have been surprised by the escalation in home burglaries that may be connected to reports of suspicious solicitors in the area.

In Precinct 7, which covers Lutherville-Tiomonium, Cockeysville and the county’s northern stretches, even commanders Capt. Martin Lurz and Lt. Robert McGraw are taking their turns patrolling in squad cars to increase police presence in the  area.

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“We’re basically trying to get everyone we can to saturate the area the best way that we can,” McGraw recently told community members.

McGraw said he and Lurz have recently been trying to spend an hour a day on the road while also managing their administrative responsibilities. 

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Many of the reported burglaries share similar descriptions:

▪ They took place during the day. 

▪ Homeowners were not at home. 

▪ Suspicious solicitors were reported near the target homes.

McGraw said police are looking into a possible link between the solicitors and burglaries. They urged residents to report any suspicious activity in their neighborhoods. 

“These solicitors are certainly, as we would say, ‘subjects of interest,’ because they’ve been in the area during the time frame when a crime has occurred. We would definitely like to talk to them," McGraw said. 

He added: “All solicitors are not burglars. All solicitors are not bad. But, they do draw our attention and my attention as a homeowner. When somebody comes to my house, quite frankly, I didn’t invite them and I don’t like it. I’m always suspicious, always.” 

A Baltimore County law passed last year stipulates that solicitors or hucksters cannot go door-to-door after 5 p.m. or after sunset, whichever comes first. Solicitors must also carry a huckster's license granted to them by the county. 

McGraw offered the following advice for dealing with door-to-door solicitors: 

▪ Homeowners can ask solicitors to leave if they are not interested. 

▪ Homeowners do not have to answer the door for anyone. 

▪ Homeowners should ask solicitors for identification and a huckster's license. 

▪ Homeowners should report all suspicious activity to police. 

Police have been making progress on many of the burglary cases.

Police arrested two individuals in early March and charged them with daytime residential break-ins that took place in the northern part of the county. On March 3 McGraw said four more residential burglaries were reported.

For most of the month after the March 3 incidents, residential burglaries had stopped and few break-ins at businesses were reported.

Then, last week, six more burglaries, mostly residential, were reported throughout Precinct 7:

▪ Burglary: A wallet, note cards, a bra and art were stolen from an apartment in the unit block of Shelbys Path on March 27.

▪ Burglary: A laptop and football cards were stolen from an office in the 2200 block of York Road in Timonium on March 26.

▪ Burglary: Money and jewelry were stolen from a home in the 13900 block of Jarrettsville Pike in Phoenix on March 21.

▪ Burglary: Cash and two Visa credit cards were stolen from two unlocked cars in the 600 block of Priceville Avenue in Sparks on March 25.

▪ Burglary: A camera, money and a folding knife were stolen from a home in the 10600 block of Anglohill Road in Cockeysville on March 24. The suspect forced open the front door.

▪ Burglary: Two television sets and a laptop were stolen from an unlocked apartment in the unit block of St. Elmo Court in Cockeysville on March 24.

“The bottom line is, please, with your neighbors, anything suspicious whatsoever, please call,” McGraw said.  

Meanwhile, police have also made progress with reducing armed robberies, which were down 88 percent over the last month as of last Wednesday. . The suspect allegedly responsible for several bank robberies .

“I attribute that a lot to some of the special grants and enforcement details that we’ve had along York Road,” McGraw said. “There has been a lot of patrol along York Road.”


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